The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-03-10
THE WAGON BOY.


dinarily, it must be said, John was on
pretty good terms with himself.
Ordinarily, but not that morning. No,
indeed, but on the contrary pretty thor
oughlyfout of sorts, and all because of a
few little words he had heard from the
lips of ono of the train company.
"Only wagon boy" he muttered to
himself, as the cloud deepened on his
bronZed and bearded face. THAT is all.
And I've crossed the plains and back six
round times, and never made a bad trip
yet. Always sold well, not to speak OF
fares and trades and mining claims I've
brought in. And I'm only a wagon boy.
Well, won't go back on what I've done,
for I've wagoned it to some purpose. I'd
meant this trip for wind up, but I'm
half inclined to keep it up, now I've heard
that. What's a blue uniform, that any
sprig of O lieutenant should dare look
down on me. He's in command of the
escort, and SO of the train, too, just now;
but may be I'll meet him on equal terms
some day."
Perhaps John would have given some
thing to have known what eyes were ad-
miring his easy and graceful seat in the
saddle, or what other lips were repeating:
"0hly a wagon boy" or to have heard
Mary Dennison add, chats what Lieut..
Strong says; but / wonder il all the plains
wagon boys are like him. should say
not, by good deal, from the specimens I
have seen"
"My daughter" said a pursy and some
what pompous gentleman who sat beside
her in the light, covered wagon, "you
mustn't forget what's due to your posi-
tion. We have had our misfortunes, but
there's no fit company here for you and
me, unless it may be Lieut.. Strong"
Company, father' don't want any
company; but why isn't the man who
commands the teamsters somebody, as
well as the man who commands the
escortf"
Mary, you astonish mer' exclaimed
her father. Lieut.. Strong is a gentle
man, while John Lawrence is
"What, father? He seems to have q
pretty good education"
''Only wagon boy" snapped the old
gentleman, put out by the interruption.
"And how do you know anything about
his education You have not been so care
less as TO talk with hims!'
Indeed ! have, father" said the
young beauty, with u half merry, half
willful look, land lie is a capital talker.
lie has had wonderful experiences, too, on
the plains and at the mines. You might
learn something from him about the set
OF men you arc TO do business with, IL
ever you get your goods safely out there. "
"Me!-me learn from the like Of him
Are you crazy? may have had my mis-
fortunes, but Carlos Dennison is not the
man TO rake among teamsters and wagon
boys for any information. Teacl, me, in
deed. think I'll show them a thing or
two myself when we get out there"
If we ever do half sadly responded
his daughter. The scouts say we have
been in the neighborhood of Indian bands
these three days, and they may corne down
on us at-any time
What! and we with such an escort ?
Under such II man as Lieut.. Strong
Nonsense Before tomorrow night We
shall be safe at this ranch-La Vertida !
Is that it? Almost fort, they say"
well, father, hope we may; but there
is danger between this and that, and
there'll be more beyond 1t. But, father
1ook-there's a grove of trees for won
der, and they're the first we've seen in
two weeks that were bigger than bushes. +"
The old gentleman was himself pleased
Mt the sight of the grove, but hardly had
half the distance been passed in reaching
them before there were signs of some now
and stronger commotion in the train.
Could It be that John Lawrence had so
Gar forgotten his position as to come 10
words with the officer in command?
Hardly that, although the wagon hoy'
was certainly expostulating most earnestly
against something tho lieutenant had
made up his mind to do.
You'll never catch them in the world "
he said. They q war party Of kiowas.
or Pm mistaken, and you might as well
go for so many hungry buzzartls. What's
more, there's no saying what may happen
to the train while you're gone"
az don't need to be taught my duty 10y
q wagon boy" replied the young officer.
''Those prowling savaSes need a lesson,
and mean to give them one. 10 straight
forward with the train. Don't 60 into
camp till join YOU"
John Lawrence nodded, but not n word
escaped him, and in a moment more the
lieutenant had dashed away, followed by
the scant two dozen cavalry, which consti-
tuted the escort. Not a bluecoat was
left, and John Lawrence was therefore in
command.
Not bad force to command, either,
were the twenty odd of brawny, hard
looking, well armed teamsters, who had
recognized John Lawrence as their leader,
nearly half of them being in his own en-
ploy. Some of them who had heard Lieut..
Strong, however, were half astonished at
Johns first order.
Make straight for that bit of n grover
he shouted. 'Nolagging and no breaking
the line! Whip up now-there's no telling
how much time we may hayer'
~ say, you, there-John Lawrencep'
cried the wheezy voice of Mr. Dennison,
81 heard the lieutenant's instructions to
you. Keep right on, command you!
forbid you to stop for ono moment!
Don't you see I'm making all the haste
] CAM" grimly replied the young plains
man. "You must make some allowances
for prejudices, my dear sir. We're al
pretty likely to lose our scalps this after
nuon, and I've made up my mind I'd
rather be scalped in that patch of timber
than out here.'
The mules and the oxen were pushed to
their uttermost for that half mile, but Just
as the foremost teams were getting in un-
der the trees the low rolls of the surround
ing prairie began to show here and there,
ut swift intervals, just such futtering
plEmes and just such squads of wild riders
as had lured Lieut.. Strong ON his self
appointed errand of Kiowa instruction.
John Lawrence on his quick footed mus
tang seemed to be everywhere at once;
and Mary Dennison was almost afraid she
heard him swear, as he shouted his or
ders to the teamsters and hastened the
slow moving teams each to its place in
what he deemed the best and safest order.
Even Mary's inexperienced eyes could
see that, with wagons and trees, John was
making some sort Of ring fence or breast
work, with the animals inside, but her
fathers attention had by this time become
concentrated or rather scattered upon the
yelling and dashing redskins, whose num-
hers had now increased SO that they dared
charge nearer, and already their arrows
were beginning to fall perilously close.
Doubtless they also comprehended the
every day strategy of the "wagon boy,''
and knew that time was worth something
to them, for they were evidently gathering
for a ''rush" of some sort.
John Lawrence ratified his orders here
md there and the tonss Of bis votes "